Karatu fails to reach levy target

Arusha Times

Karatu district council collected some Tsh.77,859,000 equivalent to 76.4 percent of its levies collection in the last fiscal year.According to the District Executive Director, William Njau, the target was to collect Tsh.101,850,000 but collections failed by some 23.6 percent attributing it to evasions and other reasons he didn't specify.In a recent press release Njau said the council had already netted some 30 individuals who have long since imprisoned for failure to pay their levies.

Njau also explained two ward executive officers had been suspended for negligence and general indiscipline in work from March 21 and named them as; Patrick Kwaang'w of Qurus ward and Samson Mohe of Kansay ward.

He specified their offences as unsatisfactory collection of levies and lack of cooperation with the council leadership.

In ensuring more effective collection of levies Njau said the council is deducting some Tsh.500 from its workers and the central government civil servants who had not paid their last year's levies.

He called on all the district residents to stop the habit of tax and levy evasions and said all evaders would be netted and dealt with according to law.

Stars and omens in Maasai culture

Migil enkaputi te nkupes (Do not break a relationship without good cause)

According to a Maasai legend, Engai the most highest in the sky took milk and spread it in the sky; when the milk reached the sky it turned into stars.

The celestial bodies like stars, moon and sun are of great significance to the Maasai. Stars tell about the different seasons, beginning and end of a season, and the forecasts of a certain year in terms of climate, economic conditions, navigation etc.

The irmoruak lorkine - which means 'the elder of goat and sheep', which is the cow. These are three stars, one shining brighter than the rest depicting the authority and superiority of the cow over the goat and sheep.

These stars tell the Maasai people about the beginning of the rainy season. When it is seen the people prepare themselves for the coming rain: If the cattle were taken to the mountains, they are slowly brought back to the plains.

Some traditions say the three stars in parallel are a convoy of a father, an elder and a warrior on their way to ask the hand of some one's daughter and the single tiny star directly opposite them is a goat taken to the future father-in-law as a gift.

Kilekin 'the one of the morning' is a star which appears around 4:00 in the morning: it helps travellers to know what time it is and when to take the cattle out for herding.

Ormukala olor labha 'the brother-in-law of the moon' is always sighted near the moon, it's a big bright star that helps the moon to shine brighter. The radiance and brightness produced by the joint efforts of the moon and his brother-in-law help travellers who venture in the night to see things easily hence making their journey a lot more safer.

Engakwa - These are collections of stars appearing on the east side where the sun rises and slowly climbs up, nearly reaching the moon. When Engakwa rises and visits the moon, this phenomena denotes a time for plenty of rain. When the Engakwa refuses to rise, that year will bring great famine and lots of cattle will die.

Olonyokie - This star is used to set dates for marriage ceremony. It appears on the both side then it's bad luck to choose a date for marriage.

Esopiaen - When the moon is full, the esopiaen should not be directly to the moon; that is bad luck. If it's overhead then it's good luck to arrange marriages or any other ceremony.

These are some of the other omens which the Maasai believe in:

Orndilo - A red beaded bird. It's believed that if it cries at the end of the boma then you should postpone your travel plan and set another day for your journey.

Embuliyah - Is frequent dust carried by wind that blows before the coming of the rains, they cite the forecast the coming rain.

Engabwo ebaba - Arch of father - Rainbow tell about the end of rain and if not sighted the cattle man won't go herding his cattle because he knows the rain has not stopped pouring its contents.

Gongo business dwindles in Karatu

Edition 19

Brewing and drinking of the illicit brew popularly known as gongo or piwa is on the decline in many areas of Karatu district, following efforts by both government and religious leaders in curbing the harmful habit. The leaders, including the District Commissioner, Captain Antony Malley, the Member of Parliament for Karatu Constituency Dr. Wilbroad Slaa and the Catholic Bishop of Mbulu, Yuda Thaddeus Ruwaichi, have since January this year, stepped up their campaign to stop Karatu district residents from indulging in brewing, selling and drinking of the illicit liquor.

This was accomplished in addressing public rallies and in speeches delivered at seminars, workshops and symposium held in various parts of the district. A survey conducted recently in areas of the district notoriously known for the business proved that generally, the habit of drinking 'gongo' has declined along with the selling of molasses obtained from the Mtibwa Sugar Factory in Morogoro and transported by large trucks to Karatu. Molasses are raw material in the brewing of 'gongo'.

The survey indicated that in the township of Endabash, about 40 kilometres from Karatu town, as well as in the neighbouring localities, the buyers of molasses have decreased by 50 percent and the price of the illicit brew has also shrunk to Tsh.100 from Tsh.300 per one 350ml soft drink bottle.

The price of a 20-litre plastic container of molasses now sells at Tsh.1,800 compared to Tsh.3,500 a few months ago. Even the number of peddlers of plastic containers of 'gongo' from various places to Mang'ola chini village, where the sole 'gongo' market in the district is situated, has dropped to 30 percent form 80 percent. In one incident, a resident of Gorfan village, Eyasi division, whose name was not immediately available, proved his distaste to the habit of brewing, selling and drinking of 'gongo' by invading a caravan of 'gongo' sellers travelling from Kambi-ya-Faru village to Mang'ola and managed to destroy several of a total of 37 'gongo' containers with 20 litres of the brew each.

With the decline in the business of the illicit brew, the people of Karatu can now engage in gainful work instead of loitering around in 'gongo' bars. During the past five years, use of the brew has resulted to the deaths of at least 20 people and adversely affected the health of various others in Karatu district.

The Art of Looking

The following is a continuation of a series of articles in the ARUSHA TIMES that profile members of WSAT, Wanawake waSanii wa Arusha, Tanzania, a community based women’s art group.

As I strolled through the History of Arusha exhibition that was held a few weeks ago at the Arusha Natural History Museum, I found myself drawn time and time again to the color photos that were interspersed among the many faded black and white shots of the Arusha landscape and people of more than fifty years ago. I found myself standing in front of one of the photos, smiling as though I too, was inside that expertly captured moment. The image was of children enjoying the mechanical swings at an Arusha carnival, their eyes squinted to mere slits of excitement; their mouths wide open with shouts of joy and the sheer exhilaration of that unique experience.

Street children wreck havoc in Arusha's streets

Street children who are frequently found in various streets in the municipality especially at the Clock Tower, New Safari hotel and KLM offices have become a menace and are accused of stealing and mugging visitors who come to Arusha as tourists and other purposes.

This menace was clearly evident recently when the street children stole a laptop computer from one Carlos Gonzalez, a Spanish tourist who was buying beads near the Clock Tower area.

After snatching the computer, the children ran towards Themi River where they disappeared. The tourist further said that apart from the computer, these young thieves also stole from him US dollars 500.

Mr. Gonzalez has appealed to the police force to assist him so that he can recover his computer which has a lot of records pertaining to his work.

Investigations have revealed that these street children mainly target foreigners.

Thefts from foreigners are prevalent in Arusha municipality especially near the Clock Tower and along Sokoine Road. When contacted taxidrivers who operates at the Clock Tower area said these children have become hard core criminals. They further said that the children have collaborators who receive the stolen goods in exchange for cash. Their collabroators are main flycatchers, the unofficial tourist guides.

Six charged for raping donkey

The infamous case involving eight people alleged to have chopped off the hind limbs of a female donkey before proceeding to rape it, have propped up again and six of the suspects have appeared in court last week.

Submitting his evidence, the first state witness from the Mererani Police post, Naftael Mnzava, told the court presided by the Resident Magistrate Felista Mushi, that being an investigative officer of police, the case was reported to him in between the 25th and 26th of May last year by

the local guards who were on duty, and who had actually discovered the animal whose hind limbs had been cut off lying in pain at Plot B area of Mererani in Simanjiro district.

The witness went on to reveal that, after the report he went to the scene where he also discovered that, the reproductive parts of the animal were swollen, which made him to send for the local veterinary officer who after examining the animal, confirmed that, it was violated sexually.

The veterinary doctor, then suggested that, the donkey simply had to be killed as it was undergoing extensive suffering and there was little if any hope of recovering.

The witness then proceeded to produce photo exhibits of the animals before and after being killed, plus an affidavit report of the veterinary officer who examined the animal, which also bore the seal of the Agriculture and Livestock department, all of which were presented to the Police prosecutor, Inspector Juma Mwango.

The six suspects who recently appeared in court were named as Samwel Sarakikya (21), Stephen Genas (21), Peter Kweka (24), Franco Kimweri (22), Mathayo Mafie (20) and Isaack Zephania (27), who together with other two suspects were being held by the police since May 1999 having alleged to have intoxicated a donkey with an alcoholic drink before chopping off its two limbs and having its canal knowledge.

Jan Mannaert

There's a very interesting visitor in town this year. JanMannaert thinks the labour office building between the Regional Library and Metropole Cinema is a beautiful building. To him, the Regional Library and Metropole Cinema are also very unique structures. In fact, to JanMannaert, Arusha is full of beautiful buildings.

He is former Professor of History of Arts at VKO Opwyk College in Belgium, and it happens, in a particularly ironic twist, that JanMannaert, the visitor, kindly agrees to take me, the native on a tour along Sokoine Road, among beautiful buildings and interesting histories.

Clinton Calls us the Geneva of Africa

At first I thought I had misheard the statement. 'I am happy to be in this town which has become the Geneva of Africa,' said William Jefferson Clinton, the President of the United States of America, and the most powerful man in the world, referring to the very Arusha town I know of.

When I asked my colleague, sitting next to me, he acknowledged that Bill had actually said so. What promotional coup, I thought. No amount of money could make a President of the USA promote any destination in the world. And here he was calling the very Arusha whose suburbs include Unga Ltd. Majengo, Kaloleni, Sanawari, Ngaramtoni and the like, the 'Geneva of Africa.'

I looked at our President, the very Benjamin William (call him 'Bill') Mkapa. He was all teeth.

The smile was a yard long. He surely was also taken by surprise.

But come to think of it, the Arusha, BillClinton of the Lewinsky fame, saw when he visited the land of the Laibonis, was not the Arusha we know of. He landed at the Kilimanjaro International Airport, and surprise, there was a red carpet all the way from the Air force One to the 35 feet long American armored limousine he used.

From there he drove to Arusha along a road whose sides were three deep with smiling Africans waving a sea of miniature American and Tanzanian flags. The road he saw had a few hours before been shampooed in his honour. Arriving at the Arusha International Conference Centre, Bill, was received by a horde of African heads of state after walking again on another red carpet. The AICC had been scrubbed clean and everything had a temporary new lease of life.

After seeing all this and knowing that it was in Arusha that the various Rwanda factions signed the famous Arusha Accord in 1994 and that this is the head office of the UN Tribunal for Rwanda, the East African Community, the Pan African Postal Union, the Commonwealth Health Secretariat for East, Central and Southern Africa and the Eastern and Southern African Management Institute, Bill was in no position not to call Arusha the 'Geneva of Africa.'

What startles me now is why are we not taking advantage of this statement. Where are our tourism experts and our congress tourism gurus? In another country we could have had by now a flood of film clips and brochures quoting Clinton's statement for all and sundry to know. They could have told the whole world from Alaska to Vladvostock that Clinton has called Arusha the 'Geneva of Africa.'

It reminds me of some few years back when some unscrupulous tour operators decided to sell the Tanzanian mighty Kilimanjaro as an attraction in a neighbouring country. When this was disputed, they came up with a new spin on the mountain based in some fake colonial history. They claimed that the mountain had always been in Kenya and was given by Queen Victoria, then Queen of Kenya also, to the German Kaiser, the then colonial ruler of Tanganyika, as a birthday present because she already possessed Mount Kenya.

The truth as far is history is concerned is quite the opposite. I quote from a colonial history authority; 'In 1886 colonial rivalry between Britain and Germany flared again and a fresh Anglo-American Partition Agreement clearly defined German and British spheres of influence. A straight line traced between Kenya and Tanganyika along the actual boundaries divided the territories. North of the line Kenya and Uganda went to England. The southern part together with Ruanda-Urundi to the west went to Germany: this gave birth to German East Africa. ( . . . ). Another meeting leading to the `Heligoland Treaty,' was held in 1890 to ensure Africa `The benefits of peace and civilization' and settled the last disputes which still existed between Britain and Germany who abandoned some places in Kenya, receiving in compensation the Island of Heligoland in the North Sea. A lingering controversy plagued the area around Taveta claimed by

rival German and British explorers and with Germany giving in, and this is why it is the only stretch of this border which does not run in a perfectly straight line.'

Surely we do not need another `Heligoland Treaty' to prove that Arusha is the Geneva of Africa. Let us simply clean up the city, welcome all those meeting in Arusha or passing by to go to the Serengeti and then proclaim to everybody that Clinton calls us the 'Geneva of Africa.' Who are you not to?

Bushmen to leave forest life

Tired of their forest life, the Tindiga bushmen from the remotest parts of Mbulu and Karatu districts have decided to migrate from the forest and join civilization.

One of the Tindiga tribe elders, Jacob Ndakwena, confirmed that his tribe of 3,000 people will move from their bush residences in an official procession on the 15th of October.

According to Ndakwena, his people have been living in the forest for centuries, feeding on roots and animals but especially monkeys. He noted that the Tindiga people even used to scavenge rotten carcasses without qualms.

Ndakwena said that his people are backward when it comes to development because they believe that houses covered with iron sheets normally cause blindness, and that if they allow their children to attend schools built with iron sheets then those children will become blind.

Various government leaders and NGOs such as the World Vision have tried to persuade the Tindiga bushmen to join civilization without much success, until recently when the tribesmen themselves realized that they could actually be missing out on something.

The move to transform their lives was also made possible with help from the Mang'ola village chairman; Adam Chora whose village is in the Karatu district. Chora was successful in persuading the Tindiga bushmen to drop their savage life, because; having married a Tindiga woman, the bushmen regarded him as their clansman.

Meanwhile, the Mbulu District Commissioner (DC) Gabriel Songayi confirmed that the tribal elders have already contacted him and that he and the area Member of Parliament Phillip Marmo will be there to receive the bushmen's exodus procession.

'This is quite amazing really!' said DC Songayi. 'We have been trying to coax these people to leave their bush life for the past 10 years without any success, but we are glad that they decided to do it themselves.'

Some Tindiga bushmen however, have already tasted modern life, through clothes that they have been begged from visitors and those given to them by the area MP; Phillip Marmo.

Women however were never allowed to wear modern clothes, and prompted to stick to their animal skin outfits.

The Tindiga bushmen wash their bodies rarely before smearing them with monkey's bone marrow for moisturizing their skins.

But the bushmen exodus from the forest to their new life won't be without problems. Speaking to journalists recently, one their representatives revealed that Tindiga have one crucial ultimatum; they must be allowed to smoke marijuana (Bhang), as they are very much used to it, and treat it rather religiously.

However he defended the bushmen by pointing out that, Tindiga men hardly ever cause any problem.

the former UTC building

We start with the former UTC building. The style is Boat style, Jan explains. Perhaps British-Built in the 1950s the building has a distinct geometrical structure, cylindrical, shaping the curving street corner below. The building features two canopies, a wider one over the pavement to shelter from rain or sun and a narrower one over windows in the first floor to shade from sunlight.

Further down Sokoine Road, a similarly cylindrical shaped building, probably designed by the same Architect stands at Hassanali's For Automobile Spares, opposite NBC bank.

Arusha Regional Library.

We then go on to Arusha Regional Library. With the plot sloping down from Sokoine Road to the river, the building rises up from the lower slope, making the structure appear to be floating, or taking off from the ground. It is a very light structure, Jan explains. 'Here the Architect is playing with space'. With large windows in a straight line along all walls, the building possesses qualities of the Le Corbusier style, which support that a building should be like a plant in nature, with the rest of nature accessible from all angles.

Metropole Cinema.

Then on to Metropole Cinema. The style is expo, which refers to exposition buildings which exhibit a particular artistic style. Constructed in the late 1950s like most buildings in Arusha, it was built for entertainment purposes. With square blocks of different colours (a bit faded now) on upper walls facing the street, the structure attracts attention to itself, which was the Architect's intention, to attract the crowds to the entertainment.

The Elite Cinema

The Elite Cinema also built in the 1950s is a structure constructed especially for cinema. 'To me, this is a very pure building', says Jan. Built in the style of Art Deco popular in Europe earlier, the central cylindrical curve draws the visitor to the entrance. Here as in the UTC building, the curve of the structure dictates the curve of the pavement and the street below. The slight canopy above takes on the shape of the central cylinder and the two slight cylinders on the side. Inside the hall, the style, Art Deco is better appreciable. With long arching window-like structures on the walls facing the audience and square-like decorations on the ceilings, the hall holds a certain appeal tot he viewer.

Saifi Soda Fountain

We move onto Saifi Soda Fountain on Wapare Street. The building is perhaps 50 years old. The style is Art Deco again. The white lines standing out from the reddish brown building as well as the central cylindrical shape draws one's attention to the structure. Like Most buildings constructed for Asian business people at the time, this one accommodates the business, in this case a shop, and the soda factory in the ground floor and residential rooms for up to 4 families in upper floors.

At Saifi Soda Fountain we come upon the history of the Sheikh AbitalinGulamhusein's family, whose grandfather emigrated from India and who started a soda factory in Tanga in 1894. Whose father moved to Arusha and continued with the business at Saifi Soda Fountain on Wapare Street in 1952. And whose son today, is helping run the fountain, making 6 flavours of soda with the same machines imported from England in 1952 and whose spare parts have to be skillfully improvised because the factory in England has long ceased to be.

Unfortunately however, we can not muse much longer on this charming piece of history for time is up, Jan has people to meet, and in Belgium appointments are made in time. So we thank the very hospitable Gulamhuseins and we head back to Jambo Snacks where Jan to wind it all up, explains the urbanization structure of Arusha Town.

Arusha Urbanisation

The general urbanization structure in Arusha is very European, explains Jan. The town grew around the Boma, being the first building, during the German's time. The British developed the town from this area. The first road was from the Clock Tower to the Fire Station (School Road). The second road was Sokoine Road along which the new city developed. Studying the map of the town, it is obvious how all streets lead down to Sokoine Road from both sides of it. It appears that the streets were planned first and the buildings constructed later. 'It is a good example of what a new city should be.'

JanMannaert is currently working as a volunteer with the Natural History Museum on a project to promote Cultural Exchange through the establishment of a Via Vias Cafe, which will be a meeting place for tourists as well as local people. The Cafe is due to open sometime next year.